I didn't really start having much success until I was 25. By then I had much more self confidence, thanks to 2+ years as a lieutenant, as a Platoon Leader and XO.
Summer of 79, I was TDY at a German firing range about 30 miles east of Kiel. We were the only Americans for 200 miles, and the town off base came to life, with the greatest concentration of newly divorced women.
They fell in love with my soldiers, who reciprocated the affections...lol. It was like fishing in a stocked pond. Early on, I began what would be a two year relationship with a German woman. I made so many friends that summer, that's where I spent my long weekends my last two years in Germany.
My German was nearly fluent by the end of that summer. Professionally, it was a great experience. As the XO, I assumed command when the CO wasn't around, which was over the half the time (he was dealing with an unfaithful wife).
To say I ran it "my way" was an understatement. Our support was at Bremerhaven, 200 miles away. There wasn't any time to dither about making decisions, which was to my advantage.
I was in Wiesbaden for 4 years, from 1980 to 1984. There were about 18,000 Army troops, and only about 2,000 of us Air Force guys. I was a USAF Senior NCO, but my son is a USAF Captain. In his last squadron, somewhere in the Middle East, he was the XO. I was never satisfied with the way we enlisted people were treated, so I told him to be a commissioned officer, so he would not have to put up with the same garbage I put up with.